AI Boom Backfires on Carbon Reduction Pledges, Amazon's Emissions Surge for Second Consecutive Year

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2026/07/02 14:49:51

(San Francisco, July 1, 2026, CNA Foreign News) Cloud computing and e-commerce giant Amazon's corporate carbon emissions have increased for the second consecutive year in 2025, primarily due to the construction of data centers and fuel consumption in its logistics and delivery operations.

Amazon's annual sustainability report, released today, stated that the company emitted approximately 81 million metric tons of carbon equivalent last year, a 16% increase from 2024. Amazon's carbon emissions have risen by 58% from 2019 to last year, despite its 2019 pledge to achieve net-zero emissions by the end of 2040.

While Amazon and other tech giants pledged years ago to reduce their carbon emissions to zero, the current boom in data center construction for artificial intelligence (AI) research and development is undermining these decarbonization efforts.

The construction of data centers requires large amounts of concrete and steel, both of which are produced using vast amounts of energy. Data centers themselves also consume significant amounts of electricity, further driving a new wave of investment in fossil fuel infrastructure in the United States, including natural gas power plants. Amazon's carbon emissions from electricity purchases increased by 34% last year.

Amazon's e-commerce business also saw an increase in carbon emissions due to a higher volume of packages delivered compared to the previous year. (Compiled by Chen Yi-wei) 1150702

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